dan inouye was elected to congress in 1959 as hawaii's first congressman. bob dole was elected to congress a year later. senator inouye always joked, i went with the dole plan, and i beat him. three years later, dan inouye was elected to the senate being a soft powerful voice for the people of hawaii ever since. although senator inouye was an unabashedded progressive democrat, he always put his country first and his party second. dan was a vibrant and vital presence in the senate, and in death, he'll remain a legend. his last words on earth, aloha, and it is with a heavy heart that i, we, bid aloha, good-bye, to a friend of the senate, daniel ken inouye. >> good morning. on behalf of the united states house of representatives, i extend sincere condolences to senator inouye's family, colleagues, and his constituents. in late 1963, a young freshman senator stood under this splendid dome as we do now. years on, daniel inouye could still recall how quiet this rutunda became when president kennedy's casket arrived. all i heard, he said, was the shuffling of feet